Category Archives: 4K

With abandonment comes a kind of anarchic freedom. While much of the grandeur of the former socialist meeting house at Buzludzha, Bulgaria has been lost to decay, theft, recycling and vandalism, the views from the top of the tower remain, magnificent. Shot and edited in 4K ultra high resolution by Gunner.

Enjoying the views after climbing a string of stepladders and navigating several operational areas leading to the top of the tower at the former socialist meeting house at Buzludzha, Bulgaria. Shot and edited in 4K ultra high definition by Gunner.

It must have been ever so motivating, having finished a length of the stroke of one’s choice in this Soviet-era swimming pool in Bulgaria, to look up and see socialist imagery on a giant scale. Many personal bests were no doubt achieved in such an inspiring setting. Shot and edited in 4K ultra high definition by Gunner.

We’ve been interested to communicate with former students at this church school who have corrected some of our assumptions, and shared their memories inspired by our images. We don’t make any claim to be historians ourselves, and so, rather than add to an editorialisation, here are some of their responses:

” . . . it’s incredible seeing the ‘wardrobe’ and dressing rooms when we used to put on huge shows that toured around the country . . . When I was a student there . . . there were exactly 31 pianos on campus, and one concert grand piano, a weights room . . . and the dormitories were fully air-conditioned, and heated. The cafeteria was pretty awesome too, and so totally was the in-door heated olympic sized swimming pool. We knew we were lucky to go there.”

“Whilst attending there, I was told on several occasions that Three Nephites watched over the place and protected it from harm and danger. It seems that they too have abandoned it. Perhaps they also ran out of money?”

“I haven’t been back to my Alma Mater since it closed. These pics are eerily beautiful and sad at the same time. So many memories that stir so many emotions. When it opened in 1958 it had the best facilities in the country and remained like that until recently when other schools started to follow suit. Loved my time there. Shame my kids will never know what I felt. This was so much more than a school,it was an experience!”

“State of the art it was. Home away from home. Still miss the toast, sausages and tomatoes for breakfast, and the raspberry cream buns at the canteen. And what about the Friday night basketball matches.”